In a home, different rooms have different functions and thus their floor design should also be according to the ambiance of the room.
For a proper interior design, the flooring in every room should be in a unique direction which matches the furniture arrangement as well as highlights the size of the room.
To highlight the size of the room
Interior designers suggest laying the flooring in a direction which is parallel to the longest side of the room. i.e if the room has longer length then the flooring should run in the direction of longer length and when the width of the room is longer than length then the flooring such run in a direction parallel to the width of the room.
However when the room is square then the arrangement of furniture can help to decide exactly in which direction the flooring should be laid.
Matching the furniture arrangement
This means in bedroom a good contrast in interior design is created when the panels of flooring runs perpendicular to the direction in which one sleeps on the bed i.e. parallel to the length of headboard.
Whereas in living area the flooring should be in a direction in which most area is covered by the sofa which is usually perpendicular to the direction in which one sits on the sofa.
How to get smooth transition of floor direction from one room to other?
Floor transitioning strips can be used whenever there are two or more rooms that are linked with one big room.
Floor transitioning strip are of many types.
When same flooring panels are used throughout the rooms then T bar floor strip is best. On the other hand when the flooring at one room is higher then the other room with whom it is linked then reducer molding floor strip should be used. Best use of reducer molding is in between the floor of bathroom and the floor of nearby room.
The reason why floor transitioning strips works best to coordinate flooring in different direction is that these strips themselves don’t have any design on them which allows these strips to act as a break between the design of flooring.
This break provides a zone of neutrality which is required for a less sharp transition in changing flooring directions.
Should flooring be in same direction for upper and bottom floors?
No, it is not important for the flooring of upper and ground floors to be in same direction.
This is because the ground floor has a different utilization of space compared to the upper floors. As also suggested by interior designers that the direction of flooring should be such that it highlights the openness of an indoor space. Thus flooring direction should be chosen based on the size of the floor.
Sometimes the arrangement of furniture on the ground floor can be such that the flooring direction turns out to be similar in direction to the flooring of upper floors. Design-wise there is absolutely nothing wrong with such flooring directions. In such a case the interior of the house looks much more organized when viewed from upper floors.
Should porch and indoor flooring be in same direction?
With favorable furniture arrangement, it is possible for porch and indoor flooring to be in same direction.
Generally speaking, the flooring of porch is always in horizontal (sidewards) direction. While entering indoor from porch if there is a narrow entryway then the flooring in such area should ideally be in vertical direction. But if the indoor opens into a wide and spacious open area then the flooring direction can be same for indoor as in the porch area.
If the porch has flooring panels in vertical direction instead of horizontal then the flooring direction in the indoor without narrow entryway should not follow the direction of porch flooring.
Should different flooring types need to run in same direction?
If the interior of a house has marble flooring, tile flooring and wooden flooring then having the individual panels of different type of flooring in same direction adds continuation in interior design. Since the difference in material already provides the necessary contrast for a dynmanic interior but when the panels of different flooring are in different direction then the contrast becomes too sharp that it becomes a distraction.
Hence, when the different flooring are visible together then it is a good practice to keep the panels of those different flooring types in a similar direction.
